Alien vs Predator: corpus vile
by The Whispering Wind
Summary: The Alien Queen from the first Alien vs. Predator has survived her descent into arctic waters. This discovery puts a young scientist in the midst of two warring races of aliens and a race trying to survive. Only worthless bodies can come of it...
1. Sic Infit

**Alien vs. Predator: _corpus vile_**

dramatis personae

Dr. Nicholas Wolfe -- Zac Effron

Jessica Hayes -- Emma Watson

Dr. William Brown -- Bob Saget

--

**Chapter One: __****Sic Infit**

A light sweeps through the black water. Pale-white fish scurry from the light as it searches the sand. A tube drifts through the water, sweeping large lights in differe directions. Bubbles slip out some seem on its smooth metal body. In the front, in a glass dome, a face appears.

The man moves away from the window and turns back to his two crew members. "Nothing yet. Get a report together. They're going to start wondering up there." The man says. Another takes a look at some instruments.

"We have reached a depth of 14,000 feet." He says, writing down on a pad of paper. He looks back up. "Pressure has reached 14,000 psi. Temperature is -0.9 degrees Celsius." He continues to write down information the pad. The third man pulls out a bottle and drinks from it. "What is that?" The first man asks, sniffing the air. The other man holds the bottle by the neck and shakes it so the contents sloshed. "Beer. Brewed fresh in Ireland. By me own mother, in fact."

The first man laughs. "How did you get that in here, mate? They prohibit that sort of thing on this mission, you know!" The Irish man swigs some of the beer and winks. "Aye, but what they don't know is: the Irish prohibit being without a beer." The two men laugh. Both go quiet as a beeping sound pierces their ears. One of the gauges was spiking. The first man went over to the gauge and examines it. "Metal has been detected." He says. He hurriedly crawls his way back over to the window and looks out. The Irish man and the man with the pad join him.

They could see nothing but where the ocean bottom was illuminated by their lights. They pass over some vents where a forest of Tube Worms swayed. They pass crabs and scallops and even some odd glowing pods. The three faces scan the ground, turning right and left in unison, overlooking these things. The first man eyes the others and groans as he squirms and muscles a hand up to the window and wipes away the fog from their breath.

"There!" The Irish man exclaims and points. The first man pulls back with a yelp, holding his chin. The Irish man gave a wry smile. "Sorry there, mate." Eyes wide in shock, the man with the pad shakes his head as he stares out the window. "I don't believe it! There it is!"

The two other men join him at the window again. There lay a water tank. Attached to it by a rusty chain was a huge black creature. It was long and serpentine with a large crest on its head. It easily dwarfed their sub. It had four arms and two legs and a tail with a leaf-like spike at the end.

The men looked at one another and the first one smiles. "Finally." He says. "Let's make that report. Tell them we found the Queen."

--

"...So thank you Oxford University Council. I can't imagine a greater honor for years of research. I will prove to you all that this degree is in worthy hands." Says a young man. An applause comes from the dark beyond the glare of a spotlight. He gathers his papers and steps down from the podium.

The Chancellor of Oxford meets him and shakes his hand. "Wonderful speech, Nicholas. Excuse me, I mean: Doctor Wolfe." He says. Nicholas laughs. "Thank you, sir." He taps his watch after glancing at it. "I would stay longer, but I'm afraid I must be going. I have some work I need to do." The Chancellor pats his arm and nods. "Completely understandable. Good luck and I expect great things from you." Nicholas smiles. "Expect it soon, sir." He says.

Wolfe walks offstage, waving to the dark beyond the stage as he went. The Chancellor turns and watches as he leaves through a door backstage. His eyebrows furrow and he chews at the corner of his lip.

--

A black Sedan deVille pulls into a gravel driveway. It crunches to a halt before a large white house. Nicholas Wolfe steps out of the car and pockets the keys, staring up at the house with a smile. He goes to the door and rings the doorbell. He looks around at the yard and grips his hand behind his back.

Nicholas turns hearing the doorknob click. There, framed by the doorway, was a young woman. She smiles and steps to the side, holding the door open for him. Nihcolas smiles back and steps in.

"Well." The young woman says. "Let me take that for you, _Doctor_." Nicholas takes off his coat and hands it to her with a mock glare. "Thank you, Jessica." He says. Jessica laughs and goes into a closet. As Jessica hung up his coat, Nicholas wandered into the middle of the foyer. "You're home early." Jessica calls from the closet. Nicholas pockets his hands. "Work hasn't ended, though."

Jessica comes out with a jacket and a hat. "I wasn't expecting you so soon, but I made dinner for you. You'll find it in the fridge when you get hungry." Nicholas turns on his heel and examines her with his eyes. "Leaving?" He asks. Jessica nods. "Sorry. I have a lot of studying to do. My exams are tomorrow." She flails her arm, searching for the sleeve of her jacket.

Nicholas comes over as she turns in circles and guides her arm into the sleeve. "Thanks." Jessica says with a smile. "No, thank _you_. Good night, Jessica. Drive safely." Jessica nods. "I will. Good night, sir." He holds the door open for her as she leaves. He watches her get into her car and doesn't close the door until she turns out of the driveway.

He locks the door and walks down a hall. It had many doors on either side, but he walked passed them all and up to a painting at the end of the hall. It portrayed a young woman with flowing golden hair and pure white skin. In one hand she cradled a box. It was stark black and on the lid was a coiled serpent. In the other hand, she pointed a key at the box. Nicholas could see curiosity in her grey-blue eyes.

Nicholas reached out to the box and dug his nails into the painting. He pulls down and the box tears away. Underneath is a keypad. Each key was clear red and the letters and numbers glowed yellow. Nicholas typed in a series of numbers and letters. Left behind were glowing fingerprints from his fingers. An LED on the keypad blinked. "Authorizing access code." Came a mechanical voice. The LED turns green. "Access code accepted. Welcome, Nicholas Wolfe."

The wall shudders and groans. Nicholas puts the painting back over the keypad and steps back. The wall slides to the side and reveals a metal hallway. Nicholas walks down it and the wall slides back into place. He stops before another dead-end. This one had a large black orb on it. Nicholas looks up at it. "Authorizing iris scan." The orb says. "Iris scan accepted. Welcome, Nicholas Wolfe." The wall slides to the side like the one before.

Nicholas walks down a spiral staircase and comes to a small room. Two long tables were pushed together in the center of the room. Papers were scattered all over it. All along the walls were computers, monitors, and small enclosed niches, filled with strange glowing substances. One both sides of the room were large tubes. Inside one tube, floating in a liquid medium, was a black creature. Parts of it were rotted, exposing grey muscle and green puss. In the other was a matrix molded in the shape of a human.

Taking a seat at the table, Nicholas leans back and pinches the ridge of his nose. He sighs and shakes his head. He reaches into his breast pocket and pulls out a pair of glasses. He leans forward and puts the glasses on. He slides the papers around, pulling out a few large photos and examines them closely.


	2. Memento Mori

**Chapter two: ****_Memento Mori_**

"Dr. Brown?" Says a man as he enters a room. Dr. Brown looks up from his papers and sets them down on the desk. "What is it?" He asks. The man gestures outside the door. "Your cabinet is ready, sir. They are waiting in the meeting room." The man says. Brown rises from his seat and adjusts his tie. "Alright then." He says. He reaches to the side of his desk and grabs a suitcase. He walks passed the man and out the door. He strides down the hall and to another door, which he opens.

In the room was a long table. A group of men sitting at it look up and rise seeing Dr. Brown. "Advisor." One says as he passes. "Save it until after the meeting." Dr. Brown says. He comes to the head of the table. "What I have to say is far more important." "What exactly would that be, sir?" Asks another. Dr. Brown sets his suitcase on the table and leans on it. "Well if you sit and stop asking questions, I will tell you." He says. The men all look at one another and take their seats.

Dr. Brown eyes them with a wry smile. He goes about opening his suitcase. "Gentlemen. What I am about to show you may shock you. I hope it does." He says. He pulls out a laptop and plugs in a USB cord that lay on the table. A screen behind him flickers and the laptop's desktop appears on it. "We have records, my friends, of odd incidents concerning black creatures. These documents are classified secret. Any who are caught reading them without permission would be prosecuted with something far worse than death." He clicks the mousepad on his laptop and turns to the screen. "Some say these incidents are hoaxes." Dr. Brown shakes his head, looking as though he were about to laugh. "But they aren't."

On the screen, a Quicktime video started playing. The sounds of underwater came from speakers in the corners of the ceiling. The screen is black, then the ocean floor looms in. Chairs crash to the floor as the men stand with gasps. "Wha-what is that?" One of the men asks. Dr. Brown's shoulders shook. "Behold, my friends. A Xenomorph." He says. "The Queen, in fact." "A Xenomorph?" Another man asks.

Dr. Brown leans on the table and tilts back his head. "Aliens. Beasts with inhuman strength that can spread like viruses." A man leans closer and adjusts his glasses. "Extraordinary. It almost looks like a sauropod." Dr. Brown nods. "It _is_ isn't it? She's quite beautiful in her own way." "Why show us this, Doctor?" Another man asks. Dr. Brown turns rapidly and meets their eyes with a haughty gaze. "What if I told you that thing on the screen is at one of our maximum security labs?" The man's eyes widened and his face flushed. "Why?" Another man asks. "Why bring such a thing here?"

Dr. Brown looks at him. "Allow me to explain, my friends." He spins the chair about and sits on it. He leans on the top of the backrest with his arms. "Imagine, if you will, an entire army of these creatures. Beasts that could overpower a human being and with blood more corrosive than our most powerful acid today. Just to prick it would cause death. Imagine beasts so awesome that modern-day weapons are laughable compared to it. Imagine never having to send our sons to battle ever again because we have a beast that can use our enemies themselves to reproduce."

"You're not serious!" The first man says. "Am I?" Dr. Brown asks. "This beast has the potential to be more devastating than all nuclear weapons combined, and yet without the residual effects. So I'm moving forward with a plan to breed an army of these beasts, using any means necessary." Another man pounds the table. "This is outrageous! Such a scheme is bred in madness!" "Yes. But it is put to action with a perfectly reasonable mind." Dr. Brown says. "Reason? How is this, reason? These things are the spawn of the devil! If you wish to help him in his work, then I resign as of now! And I have the notion to contact your superior, Dr. Brown!" He turns to leave.

"I wouldn't do that." Dr. Brown says. The man turns back to him and turns up his nose. "Frankly, sir, who is going to stop me?" Dr. Brown sighs with a smile. "I will." He says. He reaches under the desk and presses a button. The man squints at him. "Are you mocking me, Brown?" Dr. Brown met his eyes and shakes his head. "Far from it, my friend. Far from it." Moments later, men dressed in uniforms burst into the room. They grab the man by the arms and start dragging him away. The man screams and struggles. "Help me! Let go!" He cries. He throws his arms around and kicks, but he is pulled out the door regardless.

All the men in the room stood motionless, staring at one another. The man's screams could be heard fading down the hall. A door slams and the screams go silent. Dr. Brown looks at each man in turn and reaches under the table. Pressing another button, he turns in his seat and looks up at the screen.

The screen now shows an empty cell. Nothing happens for a while. "Where is this?" A man asks. The sounds of struggling buzzed in the speakers. A door opens in the cell and their comrade is thrown into it. The door is shut behind him and he runs to it, banging on it and screaming to be let out. "Now, watch closely. Maybe you all will see reason." Dr. Brown says.

On the floor, a small hole opens and something rises from it. It was a small egg. "What is that, Doctor?" A man asks. Dr. Brown raises a finger and brings it to his mouth. "Sush, this is my favorite part." The man in the cell notices it and goes over to it. He kneels near it and looks at it closely. He touches it and runs his hands along it.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Dr. Brown asks, as though the man could hear him. "So smooth, so mysterious -- like a jewel." The man in the cell scurries back from it with a gasp. He stares at it. The top of the egg parts. Strings of ooze connected the opening parts, like the saliva of a hungry mouth.

Dr. Brown presses his fingers against each other and brings them before his face. The men in the office move closer to the screen and stare at the egg. "It almost looks like an egg." One of the men says. The others nod.

The men suddenly jump back and cry out in dismay. Their comrade rolled on the cell floor with something on his face. It gripped him with finger-like appendages, and a long tail wrapped around his throat. The men watch in horror as their friend's muffled screams play on the speakers. His body writhes and struggles. He kicks and rolls. His back arches and he grips the thing on his face. He pulls himself up the wall and screams again. He bashes his face against the metal. He turns and leans on the wall. His breathing slows. His hands weakly slip down and at his sides. He sags to the ground and sits there, his chest barely rising and falling.

"He looks as though he's sleeping, doesn't he?" Dr. Brown muses as he eyes a piece of lint. He picks it off his suit and runs it between his fingers. The men turn to him, all pale with fright. Dr. Brown eyes them and then examines the piece of lint again. "Yes. He is asleep. For now. But continue to watch, my friends. The show gets more interesting."

"Let him out." A man says. "Please, I implore you." Dr. Brown smiles at him. "Weak constitution, my friend?" "I can't stand to see him suffering." The man replies. Dr. Brown reclines. "I can." "This is sick, Doctor!" Another man says with cracked voice. He swallows. "Sick, I tell you. You have gone mad!" Dr. Brown looks up at him. "Mad, you say? No. I like to see it as, enlightened." He flicks the piece of lint away. "You must remove the blemishes for perfection. That's what I've learned by watching these perfect creatures." He says as he brushes off his clean suit. "Mr. O'hara there was a blemish. But don't worry. He will soon be replaced."

"Replaced, you say?" The man says. "By whom?" Dr. Brown laughs and claps his hands together. "Whom, you say? You where always a card, Lewis." He wipes a tear from his eye. "He will not be replaced by a whom...he will be replaced by a what."

"What?" The man asks. Dr. Brown nods to the screen. They all turn. The man in the cell sat there still. The thing was no longer on his face, but lay at his side. The man stirred. He groans and moves a bit. He pants and clutches at his chest. He moans. "Help me." He says weakly. "Please help me." All the men move closer to the screen. "Do you think he's alright?" One asks. The speakers crackle as they play a piercing scream. "I think he's never felt better." Dr. Brown says.

All the men back away from the screen. "Jesus Christ!" One says. Another starts to hyperventilate. He wheezes and reaches feebly for the edge of the table. He hand slips off and he falls to his knees. He chokes as foam drips from his mouth. He leans down onto his hands and sags down to the ground. His breathing becomes ragged and stops. He shudders as vomit spews from his mouth.

The other men stare at the screen as if paralyzed. "Enjoy my little pet's handiwork?" Dr. Brown asks. The men don't answer. He smiles. "I'm guessing you're starting to see things my way, eh?" The men turn to him and stare at him blankly. He meets their gazes. "Well?" Taking another look at the screen, they turn back to him and nod. Dr. Brown slaps his knees. "Good. I'm glad you see where I stand. Meeting adjourned. Oh, and..." He looks down at the man on the floor. "Get him some coffee. My treat. Sorry to leave him to you, I have some business to tend to now. I feel it is my duty to call Mrs. O'hara and tell her of her husbands accident." With that, he puts his laptop back into his suitcase and leaves the room.

--

A man carries a cat under one arm as he walks along a hall. He comes to a door, guarded by a man in a uniform. The officer raises his hand. "What experiment number is this?" He asks. "22-g8mem." The man says. He strokes the cat's head. "I think this one will do well."

"Better than the other one, I hope." The officer says with a smile. They both watch as a man dressed in a bright orange suit is led passed them. The man smiles. "Ah! Another convict! Here, take this quick and put it in! I don't want to miss this one!" "Are the ones from Death Row really that good to watch?" The officer says as he takes the cat.

The man gives him a look. "Any time a man with a hundred tattoos cries like a little girl is fun to me." He says. The officer laughs. He turns to the door behind him and opens it. He tosses the cat inside. It turns and mews up at him. He hurriedly shuts the door and locks it. He turns and stands erect.

The cat meows and purrs on the other side. It picks at the seam of the door. There came a whir and a clank. The cat meows. It hisses and yowls angrily. With a scream, there was a scratching sound on the other side of the door. The scratches slow and come to a stop. The officer smiles.


	3. Sum Quod Eris

**Chapter Three: ****_Sum Quod Eris_**

Nicholas reaches up to a shelf and pulls a bin down. He steps off the bottom shelf and kneels on the floor. Inside were folders. He flips through them and picks one. It was marked with the bold red letters "top secret". Held on the edge by a paperclip was a photo of a woman. Nicholas opens the folder and reads the papers inside. "Alexa Woods, eh?" He says. He reaches into the inside pocket of his coat. He pulls out a camera and sets the paper on the ground. He snaps a picture of the paper and then slides it to the side. He takes a picture of the page after it. He does this with all the papers in the folder. He puts the camera back in his pocket. He slips the papers into its folder and puts the folder in the bin.

He stands and slides the bin back onto the shelf. He browses the other bins, walking along the shelves. He stops at one and pulls it off. He pulls out a folder. A plastic bag was taped to the outside. In it was a small flake of metal. Nicholas opens the folder and takes a picture of the papers in it. As he slips the camera back into his coat, his head snaps up hearing a sound. He quickly puts the papers in the folder and the folder back into the bin. He slides the bin back into place and walks away, reaching into his coat.

A security guard turns on his flashlight, walking along the aisles of shelves. He shines the light down each aisle as he passes. He comes to a stop. "Hey!" He barks, drawing his gun. "Get up!" His light shone on a leather chair. In front of it was a line of computers on a desk. Arms appear on either side of the chair and rise into the air. Someone stands and turns to him. The security guard smiles and lowers his gun. "Oh! Dr. Wolfe! I'm so sorry about that!"

Nicholas smiles. "It's understandable. You're just doing your job." "I just heard a noise and supposed..." He says. He shrugs. "...ah, never mind." Nicholas glances at his hands. "Would you mind if I..." The guard follows his eyes and gasps. "Oh, yes! Of course." Nicholas lowers his hands and shakes blood back into his arms. The security guard stows the gun away and lowers the light from Nicholas's face. "Sorry to have disturbed you, sir." "Not at all. I was just finishing." Nicholas says. He turns to the computer and types a few things before turning it off. He straightens his coat and walks toward the guard.

The security guard raises a hand. "Forgive me once more, sir. But I must. It's part of my job." He says. Nicholas's eyebrows rise. "Hm?" "I must search you, sir. With all due respect." He says. Nicholas opens his mouth and nods. He raises his arms straight out. "Go ahead."

The guard pats his thighs and up along his coat. He pats the shirt under his coat. He pats his chest. He stops and makes a face. He runs his hands over Nicholas's chest once again and looks up at him. Nicholas merely smiles back. The guard reaches into the inside pocket of his coat and pulls out a small black rectangular object. "What's this?" The guard asks, turning the item over in his hands. "My wallet." He says. He presses a button and the wallet unfolds, revealing credit cards and a license. "Just an invention of mine. Patents pending, though." The guard smiles and hands it to him "You may go, sir. Have a good night. And please accept my apologies once again." Nicholas flashes a disarming smile. "There's nothing to forgive, my friend. You are doing your job. In fact, your superiors will be hearing good things about you tomorrow." The guard stands straight. "Thank you, sir!"

Nicholas bows his head. "Good night." He turns to leave. "By the way, Doctor." The guard says. Nicholas looks him askance. "Yes?" "Dr. Brown has been looking for you. He said if you are found to ask you to come to his office." Nicholas purses his lips and his eyes stray to the side. He gives a slow nod. "Alright, then. I will see him before I leave." He walks out the door and closes it behind him. He chuckles and shakes his head. He pulls out his wallet and presses another button. The seam of the wallet closed and a lens opens on the front. He hefts it in his hand with a smile before putting away. He pockets his hands and whistles as he walks.

He walks through the halls of the building, finally reaching Dr. Brown's office. He raps on the glass. "Come in." Came the doctor's voice. Nicholas opens the door and steps in. "You wished to see me?" Nicholas asks. Dr. Brown looks up from his computer and points to where he guessed the other chair was. "Do sit."

Nicholas sets himself down in the seat across from him and leans back. He waits, watching Brown type on the computer. After a few minutes, Dr. Brown thrusts his finger into the last key and rises. "Dr. Nicholas." He says. Nicholas looks to either side and back up at him. With a plain face, he pulls himself up. "Sorry. I forgot I was here."

"Do forgive the wait. I've got a lot of work these days." Dr. Brown says with a smile. Nicholas nods. "Understandable." Dr. Brown walks around the desk casually, gripping his wrist behind his back. He sits on the corner of his desk and crosses his arms. "Well? Aren't you curious as to why I asked you here?" He asks. Nicholas nods. "Truly curious. I supposed you would tell me if I came." He says with a smile. Dr. Brown points a finger at him and chuckles. "Yes. You supposed right. I keep forgetting that I'm not dealing with those suits and ties I'm forced to run." Dr. Brown says. Nicholas's smile broadens. "Well don't keep me in suspense, sir."

Dr. Brown smiles and stands. He turns to his computer. "Please sit, Doctor. I wish to show you something." Nicholas shrugs with his eyebrows and sits. Dr. Brown turns the computer around so Nicholas could see the screen. "You've been consulting for the government for how many years?" Dr. Brown asks. Nicholas's eyes roll to the ceiling. He counts on his fingers. "Two." He says. Dr. Brown drags his finger on the mousepad. "And what have you gained from it?"

Nicholas almost laughs. "I received an Honorary Doctrine from the University of Oxford. Not exactly something to spit at, sir." Dr. Brown chuckles. "Yes, a very prestigious reward. What I speak of, however, is a higher reward. Something that brings a man of our profession to legendary status." Nicholas laughs. "If you have something like that, sir, then please carry on! With haste!"

"As I will, Doctor." Brown says. He turns and blocks the computer screen with his body. "Some years ago, there were two incidents that have been kept top secret. Tell me, have you heard of a mission to the arctic where the team vanished? Or about a town that was bombed because of a threat?" Nicholas nods. "I've heard of those tragic events." Dr. Brown leans close. "What if I told you that those were caused by aliens?"

Nicholas's eyes widen. "What are you saying? You believe in martians and UFOs, Doctor?" Dr. Brown smiles. "You like to joke. That's a manifestation of fear. A fear of the unknown, no doubt." "And all this time, I thought you were a Doctor of Science." Nicholas chuckles. Dr. Brown frowns. "Make a joke for this." He says, stepping aside. Nicholas looks at the computer. His smile turns down. He rises from the seat and goes to the computer. Nicholas reaches out to the screen and touches it. Dr. Brown smiles. "Astonishing, isn't it doctor? Like no other animal you've ever seen on earth." Nicholas's eyes flicker up from the screen to him. He follows Brown to his seat and stands straight.

"Is this what you meant?" Nicholas asks. Dr. Brown nods. "It was found in the arctic. We've recorded the account from the lone survivor of the arctic attack. She told us that the Queen of these beasts had been dragged into the water. Just recently, our undersea search team had found her." He flops a hand toward the computer. "They sent that picture." He meets Nicholas's eyes. "And delivered her today."

Nicholas swallows hard. The Doctor's smile widens. "Quite a humbling feeling to know such an exotic and dangerous creature is under your feet, is it not?" He asks. "Why do you tell me of this?" Nicholas asks. Dr. Brown tilts his head. "You are our consultant, Nicholas. That and the fact that you have made great strides in the fields of organic technology and physics. That's why." Dr. Brown leans forward on the table. "I need your help. That's why."

Nicholas puts his hand in his armpit and brings the other to his mouth. He looks down at the screen. "I don't know." He murmurs. Dr. Brown's eyes widen and he rises. "This is the chance of a lifetime, Nicholas! You have a chance to work with me and revolutionize warfare! To use your higher knowledge that was blessed unto you and use it to harvest and control God's most perfect creatures!" Nicholas looks up at him. Dr. Brown's eyes were wild. "You have a chance to go down in history as one of the greatest scientists in the human race. Imagine the potential. Imagine if we could control these beasts and use them to our own ends. We could rule the universe!"

Nicholas looks at the screen again. Dr. Brown's breathing becomes ragged. The ends of his fingers turn white. He searches the young Doctor's face. "Well? Will you work with me? Will you help me?" Nicholas looks up at him. He slips his down into the other armpit and sighs. "What do you want me to do?"

Dr. Brown smiles and relaxes. "That's good. Very good." He takes a seat and closes his eyes. He chuckles under his breath and gestures to the computer. "Take a look at what I have so far. It's open to you. After all, we are going to be partners now." The Doctor says with a smile. Nicholas nods. He leans down to the computer and scans the documents that were left up. The Doctor rises and goes to a bookshelf. He pulls away a book and reaches behind it. He pulls out a bottle of dark liquid. With the other hand he produces two glasses.

He walks back over to the desk and sets them down. "How about a toast?" Brown asks. Nicholas eyes the bottle and shakes his head. "Don't touch the stuff." He says. Dr. Brown gives a long frown. "That's a shame. I was hoping to start our rule with a party." He says. He pours himself a glass and brings it up. "I make a toast." He turns to the windows of his office. "To the stars." He raises the glass a bit higher. "You're next." He laughs and brings the glass to his lips. Nicholas shivers.


	4. Mors Tua Vita Mea

**Chapter Four: _M__ors Tua Vita Mea_**

Guns fire and the sounds echo off the concrete walls. Men wearing black ski masks dive behind a pile of crates and peek from around them. One pulls his friend down and they lean their backs on the crates.

"Those Dust Devil slime." One says. The other nods and stands, firing over the crate before ducking back down. He pants and a pink tongue flickers out of the mask's mouth. "What I would give..." Another stands and fires. He dusk down and sputters as a cloud of wood dust sprays him in the face. "Maybe this was a bad idea, guys." He says. "We're cornered." The first looks at him, his eyes glaring. "Look. They got our buds up there an' the Silent Serpents never leave their buds behind. No matter the cost. So let's jump out the moment there's a break in fire. We'll charge 'em an' massacre the bastards."

The two men look at one another and nod. "We're with you 'til the end, bud!" One says. The first nods. They all twist onto their toes and hands. They wait, staring at the crates in front of them. Splinters of wood fell on them as the bullets swarmed over their heads. The bullets stop and they jump out with a yell. "Strike! Strike! Strike!" They bellow, firing on a pile of crates on the other side of the basement. One smiles seeing that no one rises from behind to exchange fire. They come around and stop firing. Their eyes widen and they lower their guns.

Behind the crates were a pile of bodies. Their heads were gone and their backs were split open. What's more, the bodies were completely skinned. The men look down and step back with gasps, leaving bloody footprints. "Wha' the hell?" One says. He looks around and cocks his gun. "Somethin' is wrong here, guys." "What do you think happened?" Another asks. The first smirks. "I'm aimin' to find out." He looks at the other two. "Let's look around."

They wander off, keeping close together as they search the basement. "See anythin'?" One asks. The other two answer in unison, "nope." They hear a scream from above. They freeze and their eyes roll up. The scream lasted for a whole minute uninterrupted. The scream suddenly stops and the men all gaze at one another. One swallows. "Let's go up." He says.

"You crazy?" One of the men asks. "Whatever is goin' on up there is nothin' I want to do with." "You're goin' to abandon your team?" The first man asks. The other naws at his lip and looks up at the ceiling again. "I don't know." He says. "I got the feelin' that there ain't a team no more."

"You idiot!" The first man says. He goes to the iron steps and walks up. The other two men look at each other and follow. The three walk up the stairwell and come to a door marked with the number one. They open it and step into a hall. The men look around at the walls. They were smeared with blood. Red hand prints dotted the walls, only to slip down to the floor were a long trail of blood led to a door.

"That's it!" One says. "I'm outta here!" He turns and runs off. The first man reaches out to him. "Blitz!" He says. "Let 'im go." The other man says. He turns to the door and puts his gun in his belt. "I, for one, wanna see what's on the other side o' that door!" He pulls a rifle from over his shoulder and walks over to the door. The first man follows, keeping his gun aimed at the ground.

The second man looks back and nods. He kicks the door open and a scream deafens their ears. They both turn rapidly. "That sounded like Blitz!" The first man says. He runs off. The second man looks into the room, sneering before turning and following his friend. "Viper!" He calls. He looks around as he runs down the hall.

Viper runs through a maze of cubicles, looking around frantically. He hears his name and stops. "Dart? Blitz? Where are you two?" He yells. He hears a terrible wail and a shuddering cry, followed by a scream. "Help me!" "Blitz?" He calls. He runs in the direction of the voice. He comes to an office at the back. White light flashes from inside. The shadow of a large figure was splayed on the door's translucent window. Viper freezes. He waits. From inside the sound of tearing could be heard.

The light flashes again. He could see the figure holding something long and curved in his fist. Viper sneers and fires at the door, shattering the glass and firing where the figure stood. He grits his teeth, unleashing a full magazine of bullets into the room.

He stops and stares through the dark square where a pane of glass once was. All that was left of it were jagged pieces in the frame. Thunder rolled over his head as he steps closer. He peers through the door and into the room. He screams as something grabs his face and pulls him through.

Dart turns looking to where he heard the scream. "Blitz? Viper?" He calls. He runs to the stairwell and skips two steps at a time as he descended. He came to the first floor and back into the hall. He looks around heads down the hall. He hears the scream again and runs faster. He comes to the lobby, were he found a body lying draped on the reception desk. It, too, was decapitated and skinned.

The sound of glass cracking comes from behind him. He freezes. He smiles and grips his rifle. He turns and his eyes become almost completely white. He screams as he fires his rifle.

--

An officer waits at the entrance of a large office building. A car pulls up and a man in a long tan trench coat steps out. He jogs up the stood and meets the officer. "What's the fuss?" The officer nods over his shoulder. "There was a gang fight in here last night." He explains. The man's lips curl in disgust. He looks up at the police tape crossed over the front doors. "You got them detained?" He asks.

The officer shakes his head. "The condition they're in, they won't be going anywhere." He says. The man gives him a look. The officer waves a hand as he turns. "Please follow me, sir."

The two open the doors and pass two guards as they enter the lobby. The man in the coat stops in his tracks. "Good heavens!" He exclaims. The officer nods. "They're all like that." He says. "There was no need of autopsy. As you can see it's a clear cut case of massacre." "Don't say cut..." The man moans, bringing a hand over his eyes.

He goes over to a leather chair by the wall and slumps in it. He gazes at the scene once more. "What in name of Hell happened here?" He asks. The officer joins him on the seat. He laces his fingers and leans his elbows on his knees. Leaning forward, he sighs. "We did a search of the building. Higher up we found two bound women and three bound men. The women were spared. We're questioning them at Head Quarters now." He looks up as if to heaven. "But the rest were killed." He gestures to the lobby floor. "Like our friends here. Every body we found in this place has had their spines and heads removed and has been skinned alive. we even found a room full of them down the hall. It's likely that both gangs were wiped out."

The officer looks at the man. "What do you think of it? The force is stymied over this. We can't think of one solution as to who did it. How could two whole gangs be killed off in one night?" The man pulls out a red and white handkerchief from his pocket and dabs at his face. "It seems to me a third party is involved. Maybe even a fourth. I've heard of gangs getting revenge, but exact revenge -- never. No, these two sides were attacked by another group, who...you know...the two other groups."

"Are you sure?" The officer asks. The man looks at him. He heaves a large sigh. "Why would both sides do exactly the same to the other? How could two whole gangs be killed off with only two bound women left?" The officer nods and looks down. The man wipes his neck and puts his handkerchief back. "Well. Let's get a report together. Have the whole police force be on the lookout for more of these killings. Whoever is doing it won't plan to stop."

"What do you mean?" The officer asks. The man in the coat looks at him again. "This is the third genocide in this state. Each are exactly the same." He says. The officer's mouth sags. The man pulls at his coat. "I tell you: it wears out a man to see such carnage so many times in one life." With that, he walks off.

--

Dr. Brown takes his coat off a peg in the wall and shoulders it. "Good bye daddy." A girl says, standing on her toes to hug him about the waist. Dr. Brown kneels and kisses the girl on the cheek. "Good bye, Christie. Be good for your mother, you hear?"

The girl nods and hugs him about the neck. He chuckles and hugs her back. He stands and walks out the door, waving as he closes it again. He smiles and strides down his walkway, across the lawn of a large house. He reached for the handle of a taxi cab's door and stops. He looks up at the sky and smiles. With a deep breath he closes his eyes. He then opens the door and sits down inside the taxi. "West 64th street." He says. The taxi driver nods and pulls into the street.

Dr. Brown leans back and and closes his eyes. There came a chirping from his coat. He looks down and searches through the bundle of rich cashmere and pulls out a cellphone. He flips it open and brings it to his cheek. "Hello?" He asks. He freezes. He slams the seat beside him, causing the driver to flinch. "What?" He barks. He fumes for a second before hanging up.

"Turn this cab around. Immediately." He says. The driver looks at him through the mirror. "I'm sorry sir, but..." Seeing Dr. Brown's eyes, cold and intense, he nods. "Yes sir." He turns the wheel and crosses the other side of the road. Cars honk and screech to a halt. The driver backs the cab onto the other side and then drives off.

"How could this happen?" Dr. Brown growls through his teeth. "After all my work. After all my planning!" He looks up to the clouds outside the window. He raises his fist and and yells something, which never made it through the glass.


	5. Memento Vivere

**Chapter Five: ****_Memento Vivere_**

Nicholas holds a phone to his ear. He pulls at his tie, slipping out the not and letting it hang on his neck. Nicholas drums his fingers on the table. There came a click and Nicholas smiles. "Jessica! Jess? Hello?" "I'm sorry, I can't come to the phone right now." Came Jessica's voice. "Please leave a message after the beep and I will call back as soon as I can."

Nicholas slams the phone down and throws his hands up to his face. "Where could she be?" He says. "Of all the times to..." The front door clicks and he freezes. "Hello, Doctor." Came a familiar voice. "I'm sorry I'm late. Studying, you know?" Nicholas turns and sees Jessica taking off her coat. She goes about hanging it in the closet along with her purse and hat. He runs over. "Jessica!" She comes out and stares at him. With a half smile, she examines him. His hair was a mess and his clothing was not any better.

"Dr. Wolfe?" She asks curiously. "What's the matter? You look pale!" "You're in danger." He says. Jessica's eyes widen. She comes to him. "What do you mean, sir?" Nicholas takes her hand and leads her down the hall. "I haven't time to explain." Nicholas says. He stops before the painting at the end of the hall and pulls open the keypad. He types in his password and waits. "Authorizing access code." Came a mechanical voice. Jessica brings a hand to her mouth and stares in awe. "What is this?" She murmurs.

"Access code accepted. Welcome, Nicholas Wolfe." The voice says. The wall shudders and pulls to the side. Jessica steps back with a gasp as she watches. Nicholas turns to her and gestures. "Go through. Hurry." Jessica looks in and back at him. "No. I don't want to." She says as she trembles. "Doctor, what's going on?" Nicholas grips his hands. "I told you, there isn't time! You must get in, now!" Jessica backs away. "I've never..." She mutters. "...Seen you like this..." Nicholas forces his hands open. He sighs and smiles. "Please, Jess. Just trust me." He says softly. He extends his hand to her.

Jessica looks at the passage and back at him. "Alright." She says with a smile. She rests her hand in his. "I trust you." He smiles back and grips her hand and leads her through. As the wall behind them slides closed again, he goes up to another wall. On it was a black orb. Jessica looks around as Nicholas stands before it.

"You never told me of this place, Doctor." Jessica says. The other wall slides to the side and Nicholas turns to her. "I never told anyone, Jess." He says. Jessica looks back at him, her eyebrow rising slowly. "Then why are you showing me?" She asks. Nicholas sighs. "Because something happened that I hope wouldn't happen for another decade." He turns and starts walking down a metal stairway. Jessica follows with the sound of the wall closing echoing around her.

Nicholas reaches the bottom and jogs through the lab to a set of computers. He turns them on and sits, waiting for them to load. Jessica wanders in, looking around with wide eyes. She turns and screams, stumbling back. Nicholas swivels his seat around. "What's the matter?"

Jessica's eyes were squeezed shut and she hugged herself tight. She points off with a shaky finger. Nicholas follows her finger and nods. "Don't worry." He says, turning back to the computers. "It's dead." Jessica moves closer and reaches out. She rests her hand on the tube and examines the thing inside. "What is it?" She asks. "It's a Xenomorph." Nicholas explains as he types commands on the black screen. Jessica turns to him. "Xeno-what?"

"Xenomorph." Nicholas says. "You can call it an alien." Jessica turns back to the tube. "An alien." She says breathlessly. She bends and tilts her head. Nicholas nods with a sigh. "Yes. A real alien. It's the reason I brought you down here." He says. Jessica stops and stand still. She turns to him slowly. "You mean..."

"It began," Nicholas begins with a deep breath, "some years ago. An expedition at the north pole went terribly wrong. The scientists and field experts found themselves trapped between two races of aliens. Only one person survived to tell the tale." The screen of a second monitor flashes and he turns to it, typing more commands on it. "That alien was one of the things expedition ran into up there."

"How do you know all this?" Jessica asks softly. She sits down at the table and stares at him. "How could you possibly know?" Nicholas turns his seat and rises. He comes over to the table and slides the papers around. Pulling up a large photo from the pile, he came over to her and set it down on the table. "Look. This is an image of a document from the government's secret files." He says. He pulls out more papers and lays them for her to see. "I've been collecting information about these Xenomorphs two known events where they have been bred and let loose. I've studied these things -- everything about them. I even came across information on the other race of aliens. The same ones that the expedition in the north had run into along with the Xenomorps." Nicholas turns and wanders the room. "I've studied frozen carcasses of so-called Facehuggers and studied the material of the warrior aliens' weapons. All this I've done during my time as consultant." Nicholas explains.

Jessica picks up each photo and examines them. She sets them down on the table and brings her hands to her face. "I can't believe this." She says. She trembles and runs her hands through her hair. "It's just impossible. "I couldn't believe it either, Jessica." Nicholas says softly, sitting across from her. Jessica turns to him. "Why? Why all this secrecy? And why are you doing this, Doctor? Collecting all this information?" Nicholas's blue eyes were sharp and intense; in a way Jessica had never seen them before. His jaw locks tight. "Because they're loose." He says. Jessica's eyes widen.

Jessica looks through the photos again. Her head sways as she reads. There came a beeping sound from one of the computers. Jessica gasps and clutches at her heart. Nicholas flinches and looks at it. Something was blinking on the screen. He runs over and sits before it. Jessica comes over and puts her hands on the back of his seat as she stares at the screen. "What's going on?" "They're here." He says. Jessica sobs and brings a hand to her mouth. "Are you sure?" Nicholas types in a code and the screen displays the front porch of a house. Jessica leans in and gasps. "That's your home!" She exclaims. "You have surveillance cameras around your house?"

Nicholas nods as he searches the screen. Jessica looks closely, her eyes flickering around. She jumps back and with a scream. Nicholas bites his lip and rises. Jessica runs to a corner of the lab and huddles there, crying. Nicholas breathes heavily through his nose, staring at the screen. His face goes pale as he starts to shake. He looks at Jessica, who was still crying bitterly. He swallows and goes over to her. He touches her arm. "Jess." He says softly.

Jessica looks at him and throws herself in his arms. She cries in his chest as she grips his shirt. "What are we going to do?" She sobs. She curls into him. "They will kill us." Nicholas hugs her tight, shushing her softly. "I won't let them get you." He says softly. Jessica starts to calm. She hiccups and looks up. "Are you sure?" Nicholas smiles. "I'm sure. I'm going to take care of you." He whispers. Jessica turns her ear to his chest and closes her eyes. She still trembled, but she no longer cried. "How will we get out of this?" She asks softly.

Nicholas looks up at the other tube. "I will finish it." He says. Jessica looks up at him. "Doctor? What do you mean?" She follows his gaze. Nicholas takes a hold of her. "Listen, Jessica. I've been preparing ever since I learned of these aliens. This lab is built to resist an attack -- what I didn't prepare for, however, was how fast the government might move to bring these things back."

Jessica stares up at him, searching his eyes. "They brought the aliens back? Why would they do such a thing?" She asks. Nicholas gives a rueful smile. "Dr. Brown explained it to me. Frankly, I don't have the heart to repeat his words." Nicholas leads her over to his seat and sets her down in it. "As I said, I prepared for this day. Ever since I read of the first attack by the Xenomorphs, I was planning to counter their rebirth. I had the feeling the government might try to gain power through them." He looks up at the tube. "And I tried to come up with a power of my own."

Jessica follows his eyes. "What is it?" She asks. Nicholas gives a chuckle. "Well, it's nothing yet." He says. He goes over to it and rests his hand on the glass of the tube. "What it will be is the question. It's far from ready. I wanted a few more years for testing before I made it." "Made what?" Jessica asks. Nicholas comes over to her and types something on one of the computers. An image appears on the computer. Jessica reads the writing next to the image. "It's a suit!" She exclaims. Nicholas nods. He points to the image. "I made it based on everything I learned about the aliens of both races. It's skin will be a synthetic version of the Xenomorphs' skin. You see, they have acidic blood. It could eat through anything. Anything except their own skin, of course. It's also crossed with a special kind of carbon fullerene. It could deflect almost any physical attack." Nicholas smiles as he explains these things to Jessica. A light seemed to be in them. Jessica smiles as she stares at him.

Nicholas sighs and lowers his finger. "But there are a few things that aren't finished yet. That's the hard part. After I finish the last few details, I can start growing the suit." He says. Jessica looks back at the computer screen. She examines the suit. "What needs to be finished?"

Nicholas points at the image. "My Kinetic System, for instance. Let me show you what I have finished so far." He goes over to the table and pushes the the clutter around again. He grabs something and holds it up fro Jessica to see. It was an orb on a hinge. On each side, small metal poles stuck out. He places this thing on the table and puts two six-inch-thick books on one of the poles. He clicks a small device. "Watch what happens at five percent power." He says.

Jessica watches. A whining sound came from the orb as it started to glow white-hot. Nicholas clicks the device again and the books smash into the ceiling. Jessica scrambles back as the books, a mere shower of papers, fell around her. Nicholas was smiling. "I just have to figure out the mechanics of the system, one that could withstand the great force these joints would create and that would prevent the suit itself from being destroyed."

Nicholas then goes over to the glass sections in the walls. He gestures to them. "Then I need to find a power-source for the suit. I don't need a lot of electricity to run the Kinetic System. It works with a small amount. If I could find a source of power that created copious amounts of electricity, the suit would never need to recharge in my life time. If the source is nuclear -- then it would not need to recharge for the next millennium."

Jessica sighs, closing her eyes. She gnaws at her lip. She looks up at him and smiles. "What do you need me to do, Dr. Wolfe?"


	6. Audio Hostem

**Chapter Six: _Audio Hostem_**

Nicholas pinches the ridge of his nose. He sighs and looks at his watch. He stretches with a yawn and swivels his seat. He walks over to the computers and presses a couple of keys. Snow crackles on the screen. "They got another one." He murmurs. He presses another key and the front of his house appears on the screen. The front door was broken down and the windows were shattered. He shakes his head and rests his face in his hands.

His elbow slips off the edge of the desk and he opens his eyes. He blinks and rubs at his eyes. He stands and goes over to a water tank by the wall and fills a glass. He dips his fingers in the water and spreads the water over his face and neck. He sets the glass down and turns, looking at Jessica. She was asleep, leaning on the table with her head resting on her arms.

Taking off his coat, Nicholas goes over. He lays the coat on her and runs a hand on her head. He smiles as he stares down at her. He turns and stops hearing a moan. "What time is it?" Jessica asks. "6 in the A.M." Nicholas says. She turns her head so she looked at him. With half closed eyes she smiles. "Did you get any sleep?"

Nicholas goes back over to the computers and shakes his head. "No." He sits and clicks the mouse. A file opens on the computer and he searches around on the desk. "I can't sleep. Especially when every second counts." Jessica sits up and yawns. "You should get some rest. You can't work as well without rest."

"I appreciate it, Jess." Nicholas says as he grabs a pencil and starts writing out equations. He glances at the computer screen as he writes. "But if we are going to get out of this, I can't afford to sleep."

Jessica gives a wry smile. "Forgive me if I sound obstinate, sir, but if you don't go to sleep on your own, your body will make you." Nicholas laughs and turns back to her. He gives a small smile. "You won't stop until I rest, will you?" Jessica's face crinkles in a smile. Nicholas laughs and shakes his head. "Alright, Miss Hayes, you win. I'll take a short nap. On one condition: that you wake me up in a half an hour." "Deal." Jessica says with a nod. Her eyes widen and she giggles.

Nihcolas had fallen right to sleep in his chair. Jessica stands and looks back feeling something slide off her back. She smiles and picks up the coat. She looks at Nicholas and at the coat. She walks over and rests it on him, tucking it behind his shoulders. She stands and she stares at him. Her cheeks turn a light shade of pink as she stands there, staring at his face. He was sleeping peacefully, his face tilted to one side.

Jessica slowly bends down. She moves her face to his, watching his eyes. Leaning on the arm of the chair, she closes her eyes and purses her lips.

A beeping sound causes her to jump with a squeak. She looks over at the computers. One had a message flashing on the screen. She goes over and reads it. "Proximity Alert?" Jessica reads aloud.

A loud bang from up the stairs causes her heart to skip. She turns and looks at the stairs. Another bang sounds. Jessica goes to the stairs and looks up. She didn't see anything but darkness. The bang comes again and the rail shudders in her hand. She looks down at it and back up the stairs. She starts to walk up. Her eyes ever look upward as the banging sounds ensue.

Jessica comes to the top and finds herself before the wall. She looks around and sees a button. She goes over to it and reaches out to press it. Another bang turns her attention back to the wall. She stares at it, but nothing happens. She reaches out to it and rests her hand on the wall. Another bang causes her breath to catch in her throat.

She turns and runs down the stairs. She runs to Nicholas and grabs his shoulders. "Doctor! Doctor, wake up!" Nicholas doesn't budge. Jessica sobs and looks up hearing another bang. She shakes him harder now. "Dr. Wolfe!" The next bang is even louder, and Nicholas was still not waking up. "Nicholas!" Jessica screams desperately. Nicholas's eyes snap open. He looks up at her, face creased with concern. "What's wrong?" He asks.

Jessica pants, pointing to the stairwell. "They got through the first wall!" She says hoarsely. Nicholas stands and runs over to the stairs. He listens and eyes her. "You're right. Sleep is definitely out of the question now." He runs passed her and back into the rest of the lab. He goes over to the glass cases and slips his hands into the rubber gloves built into them.

Jessica comes over to him. "How could they get in?" She grips the back of the seat as the sounds speed up. "I thought you built this place to resist them." "The ones I know about." Nicholas says. He shakes his head. "Who knows what kind of experiments Brown conducted on them."

"How do we stop this?" Jessica asks. Nicholas looks up from the glowing rock inside the glass container. He sighs and looks over his shoulder at her. "We have to finish the suit. Then we can hunt down the Queen. Once we eliminate her, they can't breed."

--

Dr. Brown storms into the room and slams the door behind him. The men in the room turn rapidly and gasp seeing him. They take step back as comes over. He crosses his arms. "Alright. You have five seconds to start explaining what the hell happened."

"Sir..." One of the men says feebly. "We don't know what happened. The walls weren't able to withstand them. They seemed to kill off a few of their own kind and use their blood to eat through the cell doors!"

Dr. Brown reaches out and grabs the man by the collar. "What do you mean? Nicholas Wolfe was supposed to be working on a material that could that from happening!" The man, with his hands raised in submission, shakes his head. "No one has seen him since last night." Dr. Brown locks his jaw and pushes the man away. He goes over to his desk and leans on it. He stands there, hunched over. He slams a hand down on the desk and the other men jump. "That son of a bitch!" Dr. Brown howls.

"Sir." One of the men says timidly. "We have another issue as well." "Great. What good news could you possibly have now?" Dr. Brown asks. The man looks at his comrades and they nod to him. The man pulls at his collar. "It's about the Queen, sir." "What about her?" Dr. Brown asks impatiently. The man looks at his friends, who urge him to continue with their hands. Dr. Brown wheels about. "Come out with it!"

The man trembles. "Well, she's...dying, sir." Dr. Brown's face went through a range of emotions: surprise, sorrow, hurt and anger. He grips his hands, crushing some papers in his fists. "Repeat." He says softly. The man swallows. "She's dying, sir. She wasn't in as good a condition as we believed."

Dr. Brown runs a hand through his hair. He then chuckles and stands. "Let me get this straight." He laughs. He walks over to the man and places his arm around his shoulders. "Your job was to make sure she was in good condition and tend to her, so that she recovers fully." He leads the man over to the window, laughing the whole way. "And now, you are telling me that she is dying because she is weak." He faces the man and pokes his chest. "You. Of all people. Think of it!" He laughs and shakes his head. The man smiles and nods. "Yes, sir. You're correct -- as usual!"

Dr. Brown inhales with a wide smile. "Ah, yes. And wouldn't I be correct in saying that you are in big trouble?" The man's smile turns into a frown. Dr. Brown grabs him and throws him at the window. The man crashes through it. His screams fade as he falls down the side of the building. Dr. Brown turns and walks at the others. "The rest of you will end up the same way if you don't recover that Queen!" He screams. The men scramble and push each other to get out the door, each saying "yes sir" repeatedly. The door slams behind them and Dr. Brown listens at the sounds of their running feet fade.

He looks at his desk. He goes over and picks up one of the papers. Gritting his teeth, he grabs the other papers and throw them in the air with a yell.

--

Nicholas stands before the tube, staring up at the matrix inside. Pieces of black armor cover parts of the matrix, and bubbles form on the exposed parts and rise to the surface. He brings a hand to his mouth and lets out a sigh through his nose. "Now we wait." He says. Jessica was sitting at the table. She trembles, flinching every time she heard a bang. "How..." She flinches. "...How long will it take to grow?" "The truth?" Nicholas asks. He turns to her and slips his hands in his armpits. "A day -- at least."

Jessica shakes her head, biting her bottom lip. "A day? I can't wait a day." She says with strained voice. She shakes more and grips her hands. The banging was louder than before, with one bang coming right after the other. She shakes her head. "I can't wait a day! They'll get us! Don't you hear? Don't you hear them?" She stands and runs to a wall. She presses herself against it. "We're trapped!" She screams. "We're trapped! There's nowhere to run! Once that wall breaks, they'll get us!"

Nicholas runs over and grabs her. "Stop it." He says firmly. Jessica struggles to pull away. "We're going to die in here! We're going to die!" She screams. Nicholas turns her around and shakes her. "Stop it! Do you hear me? Stop!" Jessica goes silent and stares up at him. Tears roll down her cheeks and she jolts with each breath. Nicholas sighs and forces a smile.

"You're going to be okay." Nicholas says. Jessica stares up at him. He smiles at her and inclines his head. "Do you hear me?" Jessica nods. He brings up a hand and caresses her cheek. "I'm not going to let them get you." Jessica sniffs gives a weak smile. "Really?" She asks. Nicholas nods. She closes her eyes and lets out a shuddering sigh. "I promised to keep you safe. And I will keep that promise." He catches a tear with his thumb. He holds it up so she can see and then spreads it on his shirt, leaving an X over his heart. "Cross my heart." Jessica smiles and slips further into his arms. "Thank you, Doctor." She says. She rests her head on his chest. "I'm...I'm sorry." "It's okay." Nicholas says. "A lesser person would have broken down a long time ago."

He strokes her hair and looks up at the stairs, which rattle and shake with the bangs. He glances at a cabinet and back at the stairs. "Stay here." He says. Jessica watches as he goes over to a cabinet and opens it. He reaches in the dark and pulls out two long rifles. He throws one over to her and she catches it. She stares at it. "What do I do with this?" She asks, looking up at him. Nicholas pumps the rifle. "Hold the fort. We have at least a day."

Nicholas shushes her as she was about to speak. His eyes scan the ceiling as he raises a hand. "Do you hear that?" Jessica shakes her head. "I don't hear anything." She gasps. "They've stopped?" She asks. Nicholas shakes his head. "I don't know." He goes over to the stairs and looks up into the dark above him. He hears peeling at the top of the steps. He flinches when he hears a scuttling sound. He backs away from the stairs and pulls Jessica away.

"Doctor?" She asks as he pulls her around the table. He throws up his hand and flips the table on its side. He looks around it and trains his gun on the steps. "No matter what you think, I want you to fire the moment you see movement. Do not hesitate -- it could cost you your life."

Jessica nods and shakily raises her gun. She rests it on the top of the table and aims at the steps. The scuttling sound was louder. Something was coming down the stairs. Nicholas grits his teeth and sights down the caliber. "Come on." He mutters. "Make my day."

Something screeches and Jessica ducks down with a scream. A small object flies over the table and hits the wall. Nicholas turns and fires at the object. It screeches and explodes. Greenish liquid sprays all over the wall. The liquid hisses and steams. Little holes start forming in the metal. Nicholas pumps and fires again. He fires two more times before he lowers the gun.

"What..." Jessica chokes. "What was that?" "A Facehugger." He says. He looks at her. "Something you don't want hugging your face. If it does, it will inject an embryo into you. Within an hour an alien will burst out from inside you, killing you." Jessica covers her mouth and her face turns green. Her eyes flicker down and she begins to tremble. "Nick." She whispers.

Nicholas slowly looks behind him. A small creature with finger-like legs and a long tail was sitting there. It gurgles and hisses. Nicholas stares at it, barely moving. In one move, he throws his rifle at it and swings back, knocking Jessica back. She scrambles on the floor and holds at her cheek. She looks up and screams.

The thing had its tail wrapped around Nicholas's throat. It was trying to pull him in, but he had the rest of it in a tight hold. He struggles, pulling it away from his face. He pants as the tail tightens around his throat. "Jess." He gags. "The tail. Get..." He chokes as the tail tightens more. Jessica lunges, grabbing the creature's tail and tugging at it with all her might. The tail remains firm despite her pulling. Jessica sobs. "Nicholas!" She exclaims, watching as he starts to grow weak. His face was turning purple.

Jessica looks around. Her eyes stop on something and she smiles. She reaches out and picks up the joint Nicholas had shown her yesterday. She finds the remote and turns back to him. She places the joint between his face and the creature. Pressing the button, the orb on the joint turns white hot. She presses the button again and the creature smashes against the wall with a spray of green liquid.

Nicholas leans to the side panting with the tail dangling from his neck. Jessica pulls off the tail and throws it away and brings Nicholas close. "Oh, Nick." She says, cradling his head. "Are you okay?"

He nods. "I'm fine." He raises a finger weakly, staring at the ceiling. "But would you mind in not choking me?" Jessica gasps and releases him. "Sorry." She says. Nicholas rubs his throat, which was red. He coughs and smiles at her. "Thank you. That was quick thinking." He says.

"So was that shot to my jaw." Jessica says, running the back of her hand against it. Nicholas gives a smile. "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to hit you so hard." "You did it to protect me." She says. She brushes the hair from his face. Nicholas swallows hard and looks at the holes in the wall. "It's not over, Jess." He says.

"What do we do?" She asks, following his gaze. Nicholas sighs. "First thing's first -- I'm closing up any holes they've made in the wall upstairs. I'm not chancing any more of those things getting in here."


	7. Scientia Vincere Tenebras

**Chapter Seven: ****_Scientia Vincere Tenebras_**

A door opens and closes. Further down the hall, another door opens. The air ripples and a tall humanoid being appears, dressed in armor and wearing a metal mask. From the mask comes a clicking sound. He looks around as he proceeds down another hall. He looks down and stops. He kneels and reaches out, dipping his hand in a puddle of liquid. He pulls his hand up and runs the sticky goo between his thumb and finger. He flicks his hand and looks around.

He stands and continues. He looks down another hall and stands there for some time. He growls and creeps down the hall with his arms held ready at his sides. He comes to a threshold and examines the walls. The threshold's doors were broken down, and the hall beyond was lined with a strange substance. He clicks and tilts his head. He walks down the hall, looking at the walls. As he moves on, he notices that there were things wrapped in the stuff on the walls. They were faces of people, frozen in horror and pain. The humanoid reaches out and touches an opening below the faces. The rim was covered in dry blood and tissue.

Something clatters and he turns rapidly, throwing out his fist. He waits, the eyes of his mask flickering. He lowers his arms and walks toward another door. He opens it and walks into a large amphitheater. He looks around at the rows of semicircle desks. On these desks were hundreds of leathery eggs. Hearing another clattering sound he turns. At the foot of the rings of desks was an examination table. He goes over to it. Something was dripping from the ceiling and onto a metal scalpel. The humanoid follows the path of the drips upward.

Something black jumps down from the ceiling and squeals. The humanoid falls back and the thing pins him to the ground. It whips its long tail and jabs it down. The humanoid tilts its head out of the way and the blade-tipped tail impales the floor where his head once was. He grabs it and then the thing's throat. The thing gives another squeal and opens its mouth wide. A smaller mouth shoots out and bites an inch away of the humanoid's face. The humanoid continues to move its face out of the way as the thing attacks with its second mouth.

The humanoid flicks his arm and a long, jagged blade extends from his brace. He swings it up and into the thing's side. The thing screams and thrashes. Green liquid sprays out of the wound and onto the humanoid's arm. The humanoid growls in pain and pulls his arm away. He pulls on the tail in his other hand and throws the thing off. It slides across the floor and into a wall, where it scrambles as more of its blood sprays out of its wound. Its entrails pour out of the opening and the thing goes still. The pile of intestines eat through the floor, leaving a large hole.

The humanoid scrambles to his feet and holds the stump that was once his arm. He watches the thing, moving over to it slowly. He nudges it with his foot. The thing doesn't move. The humanoid kneels and pulls out a knife from his boot and uses it to cut the thing's hand off. He slips the hand into his belt and rises. He turns and stops. He looks up at the seats and desks. The eggs were making sounds and the tops were peeling open. He looks around at all of them. A cannon comes up over his shoulder and perches there. On the side of his helmet, three lights turn on.

Something clambers to the lip of all the eggs, searching the air with finger-like arms. The three lights shine on an egg and the humanoid's cannon fires a blue orb. The egg explodes on contact with the orb. He turns and fires again, wiping out another egg. He continues to fire, destroying half of the eggs in the amphitheater with deadly accuracy.

The humanoid turns to fire when he goes rigid. His stomach bulges and then a large black barb bursts out of his armor with a spray of neon blood. The humanoid grabs the barb and stares down at it. He looks behind him and sees a large black creature behind him. It was like the other, except it was larger and walked on all four legs. It's hands were broad and each finger had a long, curved claw. The creature hisses, baring a pair of fangs dripping with saliva.

The humanoid is raised into the air, dangling at the end of the creature's tail. The creature yowls and moves him over to an egg. From in the egg, something scuttles and moves. Suddenly, a small creature jumps out and onto the humanoid's mask. The humanoid struggles and grabs at the creature, but it hugs tight, wrapping its tail around his throat. The mask begins to crack and the humanoid reaches down to his hip. He presses a button on a device that hung from his belt. The mask falls apart and the creature presses itself to his face. The humanoid goes lip and the thing drops him, leaving him lying on the floor with the creature on his face.

--

"Just stay here." Nicholas says as he gathers some equipment under his arm. Jessica swallows hard and shakes her head. "No. Don't go up there. Something is going to happen." Nicholas chuckles. "Nothing is going to happen, Jess. They aren't as active during the day. With a few shots of my rifle, they will back off long enough for me to patch up the holes."

Nicholas takes his equipment over to the stairs. He starts to head up when a pair of hands grip his shirt. "Nicholas. Please don't go." Jessica pleads. "Something's wrong. Please, don't go up!" Nicholas looks back at her and smiles. "I promised I was going to take care of you and I intend to keep that promise." Jessica stares at him for a long time. Her hands loosen. "Nick..." She says softly with tears filling her eyes. "Just trust me, Jess. I'll be right back." With that, Nicholas ascends the stairs.

At the top, Nicholas sets his things aside and grabs his rifle from the pile. He moves so he could see through the hole in the wall. There was nothing on the other side. He moves closer, with the rifle aimed at the hole. He bends to the sides and gets a view of either side of the hall. He still saw nothing. He goes over to the hole and sticks his head through. He looks around, but sees nothing. "Maybe they have gone." He mutters. He looks up and quickly pulls his head out. Just as he throws himself out of the way, a long, black tail comes through the hole. Nicholas eyes the sharp barb at the end of it and swallows. The tail flails about, stabbing randomly at the ground. Nicholas eyes his rifle on the ground and moves toward it. He reaches out to grab it.

The tail hits the rifle and it goes spinning off. Nicholas grits his teeth and moves back against the wall. He looks around. In his pile of equipment was a plasma torch. He looks up at the tail. Seeing that it was searching the other side of the chamber, he edges over to the pile. He watches his hands, making sure he didn't touch anything that would make any noise. He checks the tail now and then, to make sure it was still attacking the other side. He reaches out to grab the torch. The tail hits the wall above him and cement rains down on him. He covers his head and face. The tail swings and hits the other wall. Nicholas lowers his arms and his face strains. He takes in a breath and holds it. He sits there with his mouth wide open and his nose scrunched. He smiles as he relaxes. The tail swings back over his head and more cement dust falls around him. He sneezes and groans. "Shit." The tail stops and swings over toward him. It jabs and he twists out of the way. The tail stabs at him repeatedly and he narrowly dodges the attacks.

Nicholas throws himself and rolls away. He could hear the tail stabbing the ground just behind him. He grabs the torch and turns it on. He aims it at the tail and the white-hot flame scorches its skin. A loud scream comes from the other side and the tail withdraws. Nicholas grabs a sheet of steel alloy and a welder's mask. He puts it on and throws himself at the wall, putting the sheet over the hole. He sprays the edges of the steel with the torch, combining it with the wall. The plate bends, but he keeps going.

"There." Nicholas says. He pulls up the welder's mask and turns off the blow torch. He sags to the ground and pants. He laughs a bit and wipes his brow. "Nothing's going to happen." He mutters. "If you call that nothing, Nick." He gets onto his knees and pats his hand against the steel. "That should hold them for a little while, at least." He turns and gathers his equipment under his arm. He glances at the empty eggs and shakes his head. He stands and walks over to the stairs. He stops in his tracks and slowly turns back to the eggs.

"One, two..." He says, nodding to each as he counted. "...three?" His eyes widen and he counts again. "Three?" He exclaims. He turns to the stairs. "Jessica?" He calls. At the lack of an answer he runs down the stairs, dropping all his equipment. He hops over the last few steps and goes into the middle of the lab. "Jessica!" He yells. He looks around, but he doesn't see her anywhere. He starts breathing harder and his face goes pale. "Jessica!" He yells hoarsely. He runs around the table and looks down and freezes.

He shakes is head and sags to his knees. "Jess." He chokes. She was lying behind the table with one of the creatures hugging her face. Nicholas shakes his head and tears stream down his face. "No." He says. "They took her." He takes her hands and holds them. He squeezes his eyes shut. "I promised...I promised her." Something beeps on the computer.

He takes a shaky breath and grits his teeth. He looks up at the ceiling. "You bastards. You will pay for this..." He hisses. The beeping continues and he glares at the computers. His eyes widen. On the screen, a message flashes: Strike Assault Suit complete. He looks to the tube and a smile forms on his lips.

--

Black creatures take turns tackling the wall, hitting the steel plate welded over the hole. The steel bends and a long tear down the middle grows wider with every hit. One of the creatures, bigger than the rest, flicks its tail and bares its fangs. It growls and the others begin to attack the wall faster.

A beep and whir cause them to stop. All the creatures warble as they stare at the crack. Something was moving on the other side. A loud whine came from beyond the wall, growing louder and louder. The creatures all look at one another and move closer to the crack. One creeps over to the hole and looks into the crack.

The wall explodes and the creatures fly back screaming. Smoke and dust flood through the hall and sprays out into the rest of the house. The larger creature backs away and hisses as the carcass of the closest creature lands at its feet. The creatures that survived gather together, warbling nervously. Something looms from the smoke as it begins to clear. The creatures growl and one charges into the smoke. A band of blue light hits its chest and it flies back into another creature. They scramble on the floor, stunned.

A figure walks out of the smoke; it was in the shape of a man, but black like a shadow. It had a smooth black face completely void of features, with two metal plates where a mouth should have been. Thick black armor covered its arms, shoulders, chest and shins. Blue orbs were on its joints, which twist and whine with his movements.

A whirring sound comes from its face as it looks around at the creatures. It raises a hand and aims a gun at them, which fires another band of light. The creatures scramble and squeal, clambering up the walls. One jumps at the man and tackles him to the ground. It shoots out its second jaw, but it glances off the man's face. The man grabs its throat and squeezes. The creature screams and gurgles as it tries to pull away. The man crushes its throat and its blood spews out and onto his face. The man throws aside the carcass and slips his feet underneath himself. He rises off the ground and reaches up to his face. He wipes the blood off and flicks it away. He clenches his hands into fists and starts to walk at the creatures.

The creatures look to each other and one hisses and leaps forward, lashing out with its tail. The man twists to the side and the barbed tail passes harmlessly. He grabs it and pulls it back. The creature squeals as it flies through the air, silenced by a punch to the face. It falls, with blood trickling out of its broken face. The man looks up at the rest. The smaller ones come at him together now, crawling along the walls and ceilings.

The man kneels and picks up his gun. "Strike Assault Rifle." The man says with a processed voice. His thigh armor opens and he pulls out another gun. He combines the two guns and they form a rifle. He aims and fires at the creatures. The creatures explode into a rain of blood on contact with the bands of light. Finishing off the small ones, he aims at the big one. Its tail flicks out and knocks the rifle out of his hands. The man watches the rifle skid away and looks back up at the creature. It hisses and crawls forward like a panther.

The man rises and goes to meet it half way. The creature rears onto its hind legs. It brings his face to the man's and lets out a growl. "God, you're ugly." The man says. The creature tilts its head and bites down the man's neck and attacks with its second mouth. The attacks glance off the man's neck without leaving a mark. The man hooks a punch into the creature's stomach and it releases him. He then swings around and kicks the creature across the face. The creature stumbles back with a whine.

"How do you like that?" The man taunts. "Here! Have some more!" The orbs on his arms twist and turn white. He swats down and the creature crashes flat on the ground. He punches with his other hand and it breaks into the creature's back. It whines and squeals, lashing its tail at the man. The man catches the tail and grips the creature's spine with his other hand and lifts the thing over his head.

The creature lets out a horrible scream. It's green blood sprays from its mouth as it squirms. With one last cry, the creature is torn in two. The man throws down the separated pieces and heaves a sigh. The metal plates slide apart and into the rest of the face, revealing a mouth. "Now...to get Jess out of here." The mouth says.


	8. Ultima Ratio

**Chapther Eight: ****_Ultima Ratio_**

The sound of conversation fills the cafeteria as Scientists and workers sat at tables eating and drinking. "Did you hear the report from the perimeter?" One scientist asks another. His friend takes a bite out of his sandwich and shakes his head. "I haven't. Has it been that long since they've made any form of contact?" The first nods and brings a drink to his lips.

The other scientist grabs a man who bumps into him. "Whoa there! Who's got your purse?" The man smirks, turing to him. "I've got an important message for Dr. Brown." The two scientists exchange glances. "You don't want to see him right now." The first scientist says. "He's in one of his moods. You wouldn't leave his presence alive!" The man chews on his lip and looks at the exit. He sighs and nods. "All right, I'll wait." He sits with them and wrings his hands. The two scientists watch him as he taps his foot and sweats profusely. He starts to mutter to himself; rehearsing greetings to Dr. Brown.

"What's got your knickers in a twist?" The other scientist asks. The man eyes him as he runs his fingers through his hair. He looks over his shoulders and leans close to them. The scientists meet him half away and turn their ears to him. "Keep this to yourselves until I speak with Brown." The man looks around once more. "The Queen has died."

The scientists stare at him, mouths agape. "No." One says. The man nods. "Just an hour ago." "Well we just saved your sorry hide!" The first scientist says. "If you had told that to the Doctor, you would have to be buried in seven different boxes!" The man shakes his head. "Not if he finds what else I have to tell him significant. Guys, something strange has happened." The other scientist lowers the sandwich from his mouth and raises his eyebrows. "What?" The man leans close again, as do the scientists. "Well, she..."

A door swings open and hits the wall. They look up and sink back into their seats. Dr. Brown was standing in the threshold, looking around at the men, who have gone deathly silent seeing him. He goes over to a table and whispers in a man's ear. The man points and Brown looks up at the table the scientists and the man were sitting at. They shudder and look down at their food.

Brown comes over and puts his hands on the shoulders of the scientists. "Excuse me, my friends, for disturbing your meal, but one of you has a report to give to me on the condition of the Queen." The man raises a hand. "That would be me, sir." He says timidly. He flinches when Dr. Brown's eyes lock on him. He stands straight. "Then stop wasting time and give me the report." He gestures to the exit and the man rises. He follows the Doctor as he leaves the dining hall. The scientists watch until they disappear behind the door. "Poor guy. We'll never see him again."

Dr. Brown turns to the man and crosses his arms. "Well?" The man pulls at his collar and brings his hands together as though in prayer. "Sir, let me start by saying that all the..." "Lower your hands." Dr. Brown says. The man hurriedly shoves them down his suit's pockets. "I, erm, bear full responsibility for what happened..." Dr. Brown's hand shoots up and grabs the man by the throat. He pins him against the wall and brings his face into the man's.

"Out with it." He says through his teeth. "Come on, say it." The man swallows, shaking in terror. "She's dead, sir." Dr. Brown's expression did not change, but his face slowly turned red. "You were supposed to keep her alive!" Dr. Brown screams. The man raises his hands submissively. "I know, sir. Something else happened that we didn't expect." Dr. Brown glares at him. "They better be good to be your famous last words."

The man swallows again and starts hoarsely. "She...she laid one last egg. It is bigger than the rest. We examined it and found that it was filled with her DNA. It's not like the other eggs that create drones at all." Dr. Brown stares at him, his nose flaring. "Let me see if I understand. Are you telling me that she laid an egg that was meant to breed a new Queen?" The man nods feebly.

Dr. Brown doesn't move for a length of time. He releases the man's throat and steps back. He raises a hand and the man cowers. He was surprised when Dr. Brown pulls him in by the back of the head and hugs him. He laughs and releases him. "You shall be promoted!" He says, smacking the man's arm. The man smiles and nods, clutching at his throat. "Thank you, sir. You're too kind."

Dr. Brown rubs his hands. "It's not over." He says. He starts to walk away. "Oh. Doctor!" The man calls after him. He turns. "Yes?" "There's one more thing that you ought to know!" "Yes?" The man rubs his throat. "The host needs to be female." Dr. Brown looks to the side, musing what he said. He smiles and nods. "Female, eh?" He looks down the hall. "I can manage that. Get the egg in a chamber." He walks off and the man nods. "Yes, sir!"

--

Nicholas rolls Jessica down the hall. She lay on a gurney with the creature still hugging her face. He pushes the gurney through a pair of swinging doors, above the threshold was a cracked light with the letters E and R painted in red on it. Inside the small circular room were different medical machines and shelves of tools. Throwing back a hand, he topples a tall machine and it falls in front of the doors. He sets Jessica in the middle of the room. A clicking sound comes from his helmet and two parts of the sides slide out. He pulls off the helmet and puts it on the gurney. He stares down at Jessica. "Just hold on, Jess. I'm going to keep my promise."

He pulls off the hood of carbon fullerene and ruffles his hair. He looks around at the room. "I'll need..." He muses. He goes over to the tools and gathers a handful of them. He dips them in a bath of chemicals to sterilize them. He searches the room, pulling out different things from drawers and cabinets; non-latex polymer gloves, a surgical mask, scubs and a scrub cap. He finds some sterile drapes and puts them on the counter. Coughing makes him turn. Jessica was sitting up, holding her throat and the creature lay beside her -- dead. He came to her side and she looks at him. Tears roll down her cheeks and her lip quivered. "It...it..." She stutters. Nicholas nods and she covers her eyes with a sob.

Nicholas takes a hold of her and shushes her. "Quiet, Jess. There's still hope." Jessica pulls away. "What hope is there? It's inside of me! It's going to kill me!" She wept openly, shaking all over. Nicholas takes her hands down and holds them down when she fights him. "Listen to me." He says softly. "There _is _hope. I'm going to keep my promise to you, but I need your help." Jessica stares at him passed her bangs. "I'm going to operate on you. I need you to guide me."

"What?" Jessica says after a length. Nicholas holds her hands tighter. "I'm going to give you anesthesia so you can't feel anything, but you can guide me through the operation." Jessica shakes her head and looks down at her hands. "I don't know." She murmurs. Nicholas takes her face in his hands and looks in her eyes. "I know you can do it. You have the strength to get through this." His smile slowly fades. "You'll have to."

Jessica stares at him, searching his eyes. She licks her lips and nods. "Okay." She whispers. Nicholas runs his thumbs over her cheeks and clears her tears. "That's my Jess." He says. She sobs and hugs him, holding him tight. "Nicholas...I'm scared." "So am I." Nicholas says. "But be strong, Jess. We'll get through this." Jessica nods and gives a shaky sigh.

Nicholas lays her down and goes to the other side of the room. "Do you have any allergies?" He asks as he searches the cabinets. Jessica shakes her head. He finds a syringe and a bottle of anesthetic. He opens the bottle and sticks the syringe in, staring at her as he fills it. "That's good." Jessica says. He comes over and Jessica points. "Inject it here." He nods and washes the spot before injecting the anesthetic. He throws the syringe out and waits. "Did it work, Jess?" He asks after a few minutes. Jessica nods. "Yes. I think we're good to go. Get ready to give me more if I need it." Nicholas nods and gets the tools, bringing them back laying them on the gurney beside Jessica. He pulls up her shirt and undoes her bra. "Seriously Doctor, we've only known each other for three years." Jessica says. Nicholas rolls his eyes and leans on the table, taking the scalpel in hand.

"Now," Jessica begins, "you have to start at the top of my sternum, which is between my clavicles." Nicholas purses his lips and looks up at her. "I admit, I am stumped. I'm a Doctor, but not a medical one." Jessica smiles and nods. "Forgive me. Right between my collarbones is a flat bone called the sternum." She takes his hand and guides it to her collarbone. She runs his fingers along it and stops. "There is the top." She says. Nicholas nods and puts the tip of the scalpel there.

"Go slow, and don't push too hard. Go layer by layer." Jessica instructs. Nicholas nods and runs the scalpel straight down, leaving a slit in her skin. He goes to the top again and runs it down, cutting deeper. He cuts a third time and seeing the muscle tissue he swallows and looks away. "Nick?" She asks softly. "It's okay." He assures her. He turns back and continues cutting. He bites down hard on his lip. He was cutting into Jessica. Not only was the thought of cutting into living flesh unnerving, but the fact it was Jessica disturbed him. He looks at her. "I have to be strong." He thinks to himself.

He cuts and finds himself staring at a long, flat bone. "I've reached it." "Get the Sternal saw. Turn it on and cut slowly." Jessica says. "Remember, you're cutting into the only thing that stands between that blade and my vital organs." "Oh, sure, just ease my mind, why don't you?" He says. He finds the Sternal saw with Jessica's help and sterilizes it. He comes back and turns it on. Like with the scalpel, he started at the top and went down slowly, halving the bone in one clean cut. "You're doing good." Jessica says.

Nicholas turns the saw off and puts it away. He cleans off his hands and grabs his helmet and puts it on. He could see the embryo inside Jessica's chest; it was coiled around her heart. "Oh, boy." He says. He takes off the helmet and sets it aside and washes his hands again. "It's around your heart, Jess." Jessica sighs with a pained face. "Be careful, Nick. Try not to cut into the pericardium and expose the heart." Nicholas nods slowly with a crooked jaw. "And...how would I know what it looks like?"

Jessica looks around the room. "Grab that mirror." She says, staring off. He follows her eyes and sees the mirror. He gets it and ties it with some wire so it hung at an angle, allowing Jessica to see the opening in her chest. She closes her eyes and purses her lips. "You okay?" Nicholas asks. She nods and looks back up again. "Continue." Nicholas takes his place and cuts further. "Get some ligations and close off those blood vessels." Jessica says. "What do they look like?" Nicholas asks as he cleans himself. "They should be in a drawer, and they look like wire." Nicholas pulls open different drawers and holds up a package. Jessica nods and he returns. He uses the ligations to close off the vessels and continues cutting. He stops and his eyebrows furrow. "Uh-oh." Jessica raises her head, eyes wide. "What uh-oh? What?" He points and she looks. There was a small lump of tissues where he pointed. "My thymus?" She asks, to which he nods. "I cut it a bit." He says. She curls her lips in and lays back down. "You're going to have to mend it." She says. "Get some sutures and close it up." Nicholas finds them in the drawers and sews up the cut in her thymus.

"Now you're going to have to move down and go under the thymus to get to my heart. Watch it as you continue, because there's the pericardium, which you should not cut." She says. "That fibrous layer right beneath the thymus." He nods and moves down. He cuts and carves and makes his way to the pericardium and stops. "I can see it." He says breathlessly. "I know. Me too." Jessica says. Nicholas goes to cut more from around it. "Stop." Jessica says. Nicholas looks up at her. "What?" Jessica nods to the mirror. "Those are my lungs beside it. You can't cut any further." Nicholas gnaws at his lip. "So I have to pull it out?" He asks. Jessica nods. "Carefully." Nicholas sets the scalpel down and goes to reach in. "What if it wakes?" He asks. Jessica licks her lips and forces a smile. "Then you've done all you could, Nick." Nicholas looks down and reaches in. He grabs the head of the creature and pulls gently. It gives and slips out, unraveling from its coil. He holds it in both hands and smiles. "Got it." He says proudly. Jessica lets out a sigh and smiles. The creature twitches and Nicholas frowns. It suddenly flails and squeals. Nicholas holds tight and moves away from Jessica. He wrings the creature and it squeals one last time.

He comes over to Jessica after washing his hands. He starts mending her chest with more sutures, removing the ligations and bracing the sternum so the two haves stayed together. He was sewing her skin closed when she asks him, "where is it?" He looks up at her and smiles. "What?" Jessica looks at the rest of the room. "Where is it? Can I see it?" Nicholas looks back down and continues to sew. "I destroyed it." He says after a length. Jessica frowns. "Oh." She says softly. "I kind of wanted to see it. I kind of feel like it..."

Nicholas looks at her and tilts his head. "Felt like?" She is silent and she shakes her head. "Never mind." "What, Jess?" He asks. Jessica eyes him. "You won't laugh? You won't think I'm weird?" He gives her a look. "After all I've seen for the passed week, I don't think anything could be weird, Jess." She smiles and looks away again. "I almost feel like it's a part of me." She says. Nicholas nods slowly. He looks back down and sews. "Well. I'm sure many people would have felt the same way if they had survived the birth." Jessica's smile vanishes and she nods. "Yeah."

Nicholas pulls up the needle and cuts the string. "There." He takes the slack and ties a knot. "Finished." He takes all the tools and puts them on a nearby counter. He goes to the door and grabs the machine he had blocked it with, sliding it to the side effortlessly. He comes back over to her and takes the handles of the gurney and moves her out of the emergency room.

"Where are we going?" Jessica asks. "To your room, miss. Tell me, is there something you want for dinner? Snickers? Kit-Kat?" Jessica smiles, fighting not to laugh. "Nick." "Sorry." He says with a rueful smile. He moves her into a room and carefully slides her into a bed. "Thank you, Nick." Jessica says. He smiles at her as he removes the scrubs. He tosses them aside and sits on the edge of the bed. "I only did half the work. I couldn't have done it without your help."

Jessica blushes and looks down. He looks down as well to see that she had her hand on his. He turns his hand up and holds hers. "I also wanted to thank you for looking out for me. For the last week and for the last three years." Jessica says softly. Nicholas tilts his head. "What do you mean?" Jessica looks at the window and watches the rain run down the glass. She takes a shaky breath before explaining. "My father died when I was only a little girl. My mother was forced to work to support me, but even when she had time for me she neglected me." Tears roll down her cheeks, hot and unbidden. "I've been so alone, Nick. So alone."

She looks back at him and slips her hand out of his, only to reach out to him. He moves closer and she caresses his cheek, staring into his eyes. "But the years working for you have been the best years of my life. You've always looked after me and made me feel..." She chokes and falls silent. She sniffs and wipes her eyes with her other hand. "I'm thankful for you, Doctor. Very thankful."

Nicholas smiles and wipes his eyes. He reaches up and touches her hand. "You're welcome, Jessica. You are more than worth it." He says. Jessica's lips curl. "Am I, Nick?" He nods. "You're the most important thing in my life, Jess." Jessica trembles as she stares at him. "Do you mean that?" She chokes. Nicholas nods and presses her hand into his cheek. "Let's just say you aren't as good a cook as I led you to believe." Jessica's eyes widen and then she pouts. "You lied to me?" He chuckles and nods. "The truth is, Jess, that I was lonely too. When I saw you, when we talked and got to know one another, something in me...came to life. Something I didn't even know was weak and suffering flourished when I met you."

Jessica takes a breath and looks to the ceiling, trying to calm herself. "Oh, Nick..." She chokes. "That's why I hired you, Jess. Just so you would be there when I came home." He moves her hair from her face, tucking her bangs behind her ears. "Just so I could see you every day." She stares at him, her chin trembling. "Nicholas?" She asks. "Will you promise me one more thing?" "Yes. I will promise you anything you ask me to, Jess. Whatever it is." He says. She searches his face. "Promise me, Nick...promise me that you will never leave me alone." Her voice was tight with emotion. Nicholas nods. "I promise. You will never be alone again, Jess. As long as we live." Jessica brushes his face with her thumb. "Nick..."

She watches as Nicholas leans down. She closes her eyes, trembling as she felt him move closer. His breath splashes on her face and she breathes deep. He takes her cheek, and his lips brushed against hers.

His helmet beeps and Nicholas pulls away. Jessica moans. "I'm sorry, Jess. It might be important." Nicholas says. Jessica nods and he gets up. She touches her lips and smiles, her face turning a deep shade of pink. Nicholas puts the helmet on and looks around. He turns stiffly, looking at the ground as he wanders around the room. "Jesus." He mutters breathlessly. "Jesus, Mary and Joseph."

"What's wrong, Nick?" Jessica asks as she watches him. He wanders around the room, his head swiveling. "I don't believe it." He says. He stands there and stares at the floor. Jessica furrows her eyebrows. "What, Nick?" He looks up at her slowly.

"We're in the nest."


	9. Actus Reus

**Chapter Nine: _Actus Reus_**

Nicholas's head pops up and he gasps. He looks around rapidly, viewing the surrounding area through a UV filter, which shows him the blots where the creatures were congregated in the building. He sighs and calms, slowly removing his helmet. He rubs at his eyes, which were red and weary. He lowers his hand and stares across the room. He yawns with his eyes drooping and his head sagging down. His head pops up again when his chin touches his chest and he groans. "I have to stay awake." He mutters angrily.

"Are you okay, Nick?"

He looks over at the bed and sees Jessica staring at him from where she sat propped up. He yawns and nods. "I'm fine. Just tired." "Anyone who goes without sleep for almost a week is bound to be tired." She says. He chuckles, wandering over to her and sitting beside her. "What's the matter with you, then? You haven't slept for a long time yourself."

Jessica shakes her head. "I don't know. I feel restless. No matter how hard I try I can't seem to sleep." She looks at the window. "After all that has happened, knowing that we are in the position we are in, I can't calm down. How can I feel secure in such darkness?" Nicholas takes her hand and whispers to her. "Don't worry, Jess. It's not so dark. And we'll see each other through to brighter days."

She looks at him, eyes glassy with tears. "How can you be so sure? Right below us, one, maybe two, floors beneath us are...things. Things like death; faceless and merciless. The moment they know we are here, you know what they will do, don't you? They'll come in swarms and they won't stop until we are dead. How can we face such a power?" Her voice trails off.

"I'm sure," Nicholas says slowly with a smile, "because I have power as well." Jessica shakes her head. "You know very well that your suit can't fight hundreds of those Xen...Xeno..." "Xenomorphs." Nichola says. "And that's not what I'm talking about, Jess." "Then what power are you talking about?" Jessica chokes. "What could hold back the tide? Nothing. Even If there was something, how can we get a hold of it? We haven't a chance."

She looks down, but Nicholas catches her chin and brings her face back up. "Answer me this: what was the thing you told me not to cut into again? Below your thymus?" Jessica looks down and touches her shirt, feeling the stitches beneath. "My pericardium." "And what is in the pericardium, Jess?" Jessica looks up at him and wrinkles her nose. "Are you giving me an anatomy test or something?" Nicholas grins and raises a brow. "Humor me." "The heart, of course." Jessica says. Nicholas nods. "Yes, the heart. That resilient little organ that pushes life through our veins -- that resilient little organ that heals even after a lover has cast it aside."

Nicholas hooks her bangs and tucks them behind her ears, clearing her face. "My heart was the power that delivered us from my basement and allowed me to save you, not just my suit. It will be the same power that will get us out of this -- no matter the cost to myself. Just have faith in me, Jess. I'm going to take care of you." "Nick..." She mutters. She shakes her head. "I can't. My heart is not strong enough. I can't convince my heart that we will be okay. I want to believe it, but when I try it hurts..." She looks up feeling him press her hand to his chest. "Then feel that, Jessica. Do you feel it?" Jessica closes her eyes and nods. "It belongs to you. I gave it to you, because it is you that makes it beat as it does..." His lips slowly curl into a smile. "...Every time we touch, every time you smile, every time you speak. Its strength is yours, Jess and only yours." Jessica searches his eyes and his smile and she smiles as well. "Don't worry, Jessica." He finishes softly. "I'm here for you and I always will be." "Nick..." Jessica gently pulls him into her arms and hugs him.

Nicholas hushes her as she weeps. "I'm scared." She says into his shoulder. "I've only felt this way in nightmares, but I know I just won't wake up." "I know. I'm scared too." "You are?" Nicholas pulls back and nods. "Deathly afraid." "You couldn't tell looking at what you've done." Jessica says. "It's like I said, Jess. I'm doing it for you." "Is that true? You're really doing all of this for me?" Nicholas stares at her, only to smile and shake his head. Her eyes were shimmering from her tears, adding to her beauty along with her innocent smile. Her skin became white as snow in the moonlight; soft and bright. "Yes. I wouldn't have gotten as far as I have fighting for myself."

Jessica blushes and looks at the windows embarrassedly. Her eyes widen and she gasps. "Nick, look!" She says, pointing. Alarmed, he looks and sees three shooting stars falling toward the horizon. "Well!" He looks at her. "What are you going to do with three whole wishes?" Jessica looks at him out of the corner of her eye. "I think I'll use one of them to give the other two to you, Nick. I have all I've ever wanted -- it's only fair." Nicholas chuckles, face turning red. "Then I give you the last one. Nothing gives me more joy than seeing you happy."

After thinking a long time, Jessica smiles. "I know what I want." She says. Nicholas raises his eyebrows. "Well? What is it?" Jessica shakes her head. "For shame, Doctor Wolfe! You know I can't tell!" Nicholas clasps his hands. "Oh, please! Pretty please?" Jessica gives a playful smile. "With sugar?" "With sugar on top!" With a giggle Jessica closes her eyes. "I wish the best for anyone else in this town. I hope they won't have to suffer anymore and I hope there is a brighter day for them." She opens her eyes and meets his with a bright smile. "Because no matter how this ends with us, I'm glad we've gotten this close. I have no regrets." She lays her hand on his and Nicholas bows his head. "You're blessed, Jess. Truly blessed." She laughs and gives him a playful look. "If you insist."

Nicholas laughs. "Now. I think it's about time you try and get to sleep." "I can't, Nick. I still can't relax." Jessica says. Nicholas screws his lips in thought. "I may have something that will help you fall asleep. But you have to close your eyes." Jessica closes her eyes as Nicholas continues softly. "Imagine you're on a cloud, Jess; light and cool. Feel your eye lids grow heavy, your legs grow heavy and then feel your arms go heavy. All the worries and thoughts release your head from their vice and you feel clear. You try to lift your head, but you can't..." "It's not helping." Jessica murmurs. "If I was a smoker, it might have worked, but..." She falls silent as Nicholas begins to sing slow and soft to her. It was so sincere, it brought tears to Jessica's eyes.

_When I'm worried and I can't sleep_

_I count my blessings instead of sheep_

_And I fall asleep counting my blessings_

_When my bankroll is getting small_

_I think of when I had none at all_

_And I fall asleep counting my blessings_

_I think about a nursery and I picture curly heads_

_And one by one I count them as they slumber in their beds_

_If you're worried and you can't sleep_

_Just count your blessings instead of sheep_

_And you'll fall asleep counting your blessings_

Jessica slowly falls asleep as he sings trying to sing along, but her lips only moved without noise. Her head rolls to the side and she goes still, her chest rising and falling peacefully. He smiles and pulls the blanket up to her shoulders.

"Good night, Jessica."

--

The guard picks up a donut from its container and takes a bite out of it. His eyes scan a newspaper article. "Blah! Serves that wench right. Right, Joe? The one with the--" He looks over and his forehead creases. "Joe?" All he saw was an empty chair. He looks around at the street and back at the chair. He gets up and knocks on the large steel doors beside him. "Hey!"

From inside a voice answers, "what do you want?" "Did Joe go inside?" The guard asks. No answer came from the other side, only the sounds of footsteps leaving and returning. "Nope, he's not in here." The guard removes his cap and scratches his bald head. "He's probably taking a leak..." He murmurs. He looks back up at the door. "Never mind!" He sits and pulls up the paper again. He takes a bite out of the donut and looks down at it. He wretches, examining a dark liquid on it. He tosses it aside. Unbeknownst to him, the donut struck something solid and fell at his feet.

The guard pulls the paper apart and continues to read. A hot, moist smell comes to his nostrils and he wrinkles his nose. He hears the scuff of a foot before him and grunts. "Jeez, Joe! Were you running or something?" He asks. His eyes widen as he hears metal ring. A rip halves the paper and a spray of blood coats the wall.

The double doors open and a man peeks out. "Mason? Hey, we couldn't find Joe, but..." He stops seeing the guard's headless body leaning against the wall. He suddenly flies back with a scream and lands. He grips at something with his hands and chokes. With a death rattle he goes still and a spear grows from his chest.

The spear pulls out of him and rises into the air, where it vanishes. Three pairs of bloody footsteps form one after another down the long hallway. The footprints stop as they come into a larger room. A bunch of men sit on couches of fine leather and drink while playing cards or cleaning their guns.

"I see you...and I raise you." A man says, throwing two blue chips into a pile of chips on the table. His friend, glancing at his cards, smiles. "I see you and raise you as well!" He says, putting three blue chips into the pile. The both reveal their hands. "Two Queens and three fours!" "That's almost as good as my Full House!" The man laughs, pulling the pile of chips over to himself.

"Say, where's Paul?" One of the other men asks as he slips a magazine into the handle of his handgun. The card player sulked as he watched the other shuffle the deck. "He went to check on Mason and hasn't come back yet." "Do you think he found Joe?" "Ah, don't worry about him." Another man says. He sips from a glass of golden liquid and runs it over his tongue, swallowing with a satisfied exhale. "They're probably talking about the show last night."

"Wasn't it great that Dr. Brown to give us those tickets?" The other card player says. "All those tickets for a sold-out show! How do you think he got his hands on them?" "I don't know." The man with the drink says. "But there are a lot of things Brown does that we can't fathom the means."

"Hey!" One of the men say. He points at the threshold with a shaky finger, slowly rising from his seat. "What's that on the floor?" They all look to see three pairs of bloody footprints, which seem to end right at the door. "Holy shit! What's the deal?" One of the men exclaim.

Loud growls fill the room and more footprints appear, coming into the room. Furniture is cast into the walls as the footprints come toward them. The men scream, one raising his gun and firing.

--

Doctor Brown stares at a screen and smiles. The light plays on his face as he listens to the screams that buzz from the speakers. "It's for the best." He reaches over and grabs a glass of champagne, sipping without removing his eyes from the screen. He swallows and chuckles. He hears the door behind him and turns. A young woman, blonde and tall, leans on the door. Her eyes were wild with anger, and her lips were curled, revealing her gritted teeth. Her breathing was ragged, like that of a feral animal.

"You monster." She growls. He turns to her and smiles. "Darling? What do you mean?" "You son-of-a-bitch, you know damn well what I mean!" She howls. The Doctor's eyebrows rise and he laughs. "You naughty girl! Using foul language like that! You need to calm down and talk to me nic--" She walks at him, hands clenched in tight, white knots. "You took her! You took her, my baby!" She interrupts. "Now, now. Listen, honey." Brown says with a smile. "You don't seem to understand how Christie is helping the world. Do you realize how big a contribution she has made for my work?"

"Your work!" The woman screams. "Your work! She is your daughter!" "Was." The Doctor corrects with a raised finger. The woman trembles, mouth agape. "You're insane. You're mad!" She exclaims. "Insane?" Brown asks with a smirk. He turns, throwing out his hands. "Many great men were considered insane. And yet, you happily use the things they've created in their insanity!" "For what cost?" His wife screams. "Did you ever think about the cost?" "I'm opening a new era in human history! A new era were men will be gods and women will be goddesses! And if mythology has taught us anything, sacrifice is needed to gain power."

The woman backs away, shaking her head. "You're a beast! All this time...and now our daughter...you would have your own child killed to bring back...these...these abominations?" Brown flinches and turns. His eyes were wide and his face flushed. "What did you say?" His wife draws herself up and juts out her chin. "Abominations! Miserable and gross brood of the Devil! You would rather bring those things back instead of sparing your own flesh and blood?"

Dr. Brown shakes uncontrollably. "Abominations? Miserable and gross?" He sneers and goes to jump at her, stopping when she pulls a gun out of her belt. She aims it at him with shaky hands. Tears fill her eyes and fall down her cheeks. Dr. Brown smiles and holds out his hand. "Now, Kat. Give me the gun." She clicks back the hammer, shaking her head. "Get away from me." "Katherine, give me the gun." Brown demands moving at her. His wife fires at the ceiling and he backs away as a shower of sparks rain down on him. "I have to do this, Will. I have to..." She says, cocking the gun again. "Before you kill again." Brown stands there for some time, evaluating her. He shakes his head and smiles. "You don't have to do anything, hon." He says softly. "You must understand, I am saddened by our daughter's death. I'm sorry for it and I will never forgive myself." "It's too late." She says. Her hand shakes more, bending the trigger. "I'm sorry."

"Wait!" Brown yells. "Please, Kate!" His wife shakes her head, eyes closed. "No, Will. I'm sorry!" "Just listen to me. We don't have to do this. I'm still your husband -- I'm still your Will." "Stop it!" His wife cries hoarsely. "Stop it!" Her hands shake harder; her eyes were wide and bloodshot. "I'll shoot, Will! As sure as there is a God, I'll shoot! You're mad and I have to stop you!" "Kate, please. I love you. I will even drop this whole project if you want." His wife backs into a wall and whimpers. He smiles and moves closer. "Stop!" His wife cries. "We don't need to do this. I know you don't want to kill me. You're a peaceful Catholic woman! This is against your grain!" She continues to aim at him and his eyes soften. "I don't want to hear it! You speak lies! Your whole life is a lie! Everything you told me..." "Not everything! I love you, Kate. Please...I need you..." Will hangs his head. "I'm weak. I...I just don't want to be weak anymore and I need you." "That doesn't mean you can kill people." His wife chokes. "Then steer me in the right direction! You promised, no matter what, to stand by me and help me! Remember that night? At the drive-in? Think back, Katherine."

Katherine licks her lips, remembering the night. "We had pledged our love and lives to each other, Kat." Brown says, looking up. Tears were in his eyes. "We swore to aid each other, to stand united and never to harm each other, no matter what. I wasn't lying then and I will keep that promise, Kate. I promise." He moves a little closer as the gun's muzzle tilts down. He pushes down with his hands. "Set it down, Kat. I promise I won't do anything if you just put it down. If you do, this can all go away. We'll get away! Just you and me -- and we'll start over."

Shaking meekly, the woman lowers the gun. "Will..." She sobs. "You mean that?" William pains his face and raises a hand. "I swear to the Lord, my God, to end this blasphemy and not lay a hand on my wife! May the Lord strike me down if I break this promise!" Katherine sniffs and her hands go limp. "Will..." The gun drops onto the floor. William smiles and opens his arms. "There, now. Everything will be okay again." Katherine runs to him and holds him.

"There, there." He says, stroking her head. "That's a good girl. See? Nothing's wrong." "Will..." She croaks. "You're okay now?" "Yes, love." He mutters. "And will you change? Even if it means jail?" "Yes, love." "...Truly?" "Yes truly." She looks up at him. "Then I'm going to help you, Will. I'm going to help you heal and get out of this. I truly love you. No matter what." "I love you too." "What about the...." "It's over. I'll destroy the Queen..." Katherine's eyes widen as his hand grips the back of her head. "...When Hell freezes over." He presses his other hand over her mouth, sealing it and her nose shut. His wife grabs at his hand, trying to pull it off. She chokes and struggles, sucking desperately for air. He presses hard, his eyes glittering in a pale light behind the bangs that fell before his face. "Rest now, Katherine. I will bring in the new world. Just watch, love." Her eyes swell with tears as she screams. He kneels, following her to the ground as she becomes limp. Her movements slow and finally stop altogether. Her eyes glaze over, still staring up at him. He removes his hand, staring back at his wife.

With a chuckle, he looks up at the ceiling and holds out his arms. "Just as I thought." He laughs at the air and rises, dusting off his knees and fixing his hair. He straightens out his coat and looks back at the screen. He smiles. "Ah! She's finished." He goes to leave when an alarm goes off. He looks around and goes over to an intercom on the wall and presses a button. "What's going on? Casey?" "Sir! There's a breach! Someone's attacking the compound!" "Impossible!" Dr. Brown exclaims. "No-one could get through the guard I posted!"


End file.
